Split-trail gun carriage



March 12, 1935. N, E. METHLIN SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet March 12, 1935. N. E. METHLIN SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwmtw March 12, 1935. METHLINv 1,994,197

' SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.3.

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March 12, 1935. N. E. M ETHLIN SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 12, 1935. N. E. METHLIN SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 .1: .ZIIIZIZZ:

March 1935- N. E.- METHLIN SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Mm/ M WC MM March 12, 1935.. METHLIN 1,994,197

SPLIT TRAIL GUN CARRIAGE Filed April 2, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Mar. 12, 1935,

, resent 1,994,197 f: ,fsPLrr-TaAInoUN CARRIAGE NicolaselEmilien'Methlin, Paris, France, assignor to Schneider &, Ciel, Paris, France, a company of France;

Application April 2, 1934,, serial No. 718,717

- u InFrance June 30, 1933 16 Glaims- This. invention .relatesto an improvement in the construction of-fi'eldfl-gun carriages provided with split trails; and comprises a device for the resilient susp'ensiongfrom the set Of Wh881S, of

f the aggregate comprisinglthe trail legs, the top I it carriageiand"theoscillating-gun and cradle which trunnione'd in the saidtop carriage r In the gun carriage according to the invention that part of the assembly which may be'oalled the lower, carriageor trail systemis constituted, in manner known per so, by a rocking beam which itself'is pivoted to the axle of the set of wheels by a longitudinal'pivot disposed perpendicularly tothe saidaxle and to the rocker, the

vertical pivot for training the top carriageand the oscillating gun, and cradle, which aresupported bythe saidtop carriage, beingprovided onthe'said rockingbeam.

, Theinvention ischaracterized by providing ion, I the axle and trail legs the complementary meme bers of two resilient supports, the said members cooperatingwhen the trail legs are brought together io-rthe travelling position, and, conversely ceasing to be in engagement when thetrail'legs are spread apart for thebattery'position. The said complementary members willbe plfeferably constituted, by aresilient' buiier and a Supporting finger, respectively, the buffers being carried by the axle and thesupporting f ngers by the trail legs, or vice versa. According to the invention, the said device may advantageously be combined witha resilient-bush connection between the" axle and the hingepivot of the trail-carrying rocking beam, a mutual guide being provided in this case,

through the medium of the suspension members,

between the axle and the trail legs when the latter are in the travelling position.

Various constructional forms of the invention are shown byway of example in theyaccoinpany- .ingdrawlngs. v

Figure 1 is a planview-o-i a portion of a gun carriage embodying the invention, showing-the trail-carrying rocking beam in which is pivoted thetop carriage carrying the-oscillating gun and the battery position, in which the resilient asuspinsion is inoperative, and in chain lines brought together for "travelling, in'the operative position of the suspensionmeans. r i

Figure 2 is a corresponding sectional elevation aion'g the. line II-II of Figure -l, the trail legs being shown in solid lines and in the travelling position only. r 1 a j Figure 3 is a detail sectional elevation on a larger scale showing the complementary members of the resilient suspension in the travelling position. a

-Figure 4 is a side elevation on a larger scale showing the end of one of the trail legs :carryi-ng tionQ cradle, the traillegspivoted to the saidJrocking beam, beingishown in;solid lines spread out for,

one of the suspension members and locked'in the battery position. This figure corresponds to the outline shown in solid lines in Figure 1.

Figure 5 isa detail showing, in cross sectional elevation along the axis of the carriage, of the resilient-bush additional suspension device.

Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, show a modificationof the invention in plan (Figures 6 and 7), cross section (Figure 8) and. sectional elevation (Figure 9), respectively. I V Figures lo and 11 are plan views similar to Figures 1 and 6 showing two other modifications oi the invention. s

Figure 12 is a partial plan view corresponding to Figure 11 and showing the members in 'a'dif-g ferent position. 7 V 7' Figure 13 is a sectional elevation showing a modification of the relative. arrangement of the complementary members of the suspension, the said members being shown in the travelling posi Figure 14 is a plan View corresponding to Figure 13 showing the members in the battery position.

The gun carriage according to the invention comprises, in the known manner, a set of wheels, on the axle a of which arockinlg beam 2; is mounted to. oscillate about a pivot 12' disposed in the.

longitudinal axial plane of the carriage. Pivoted by pins 0 to the said rocking beam b are the so-called trail legs? 0 which, by being spread apart, may be brought into the position shown in solid lines in Figure 1, for bringing thegun into the battery position, or may be brought into the travelling position by bringing them together into the position'shown in chain lines in the same According to theinvention, for travelling, a re.- silient suspension is provided between the trail legsc and the axle a by the arrangement of one of the members of' the said suspension on each of the trail legs, a corresponding complementary member being carried by the axle, the said arcooperates with said buffer d during travelling.

. .n order to facilitate this arrangement, it is possible, as shown in Figures 1 and2, to employ 9. trail-carrying rocking beam bent into stirrup shape and oscillating abouta pivot 73 extended forwardlyof the axle, the body of the said rocking beam being thus disposed in front of theaxle,

while the arms 22 of the stirrup, which surrounds the axle by an opening b carry in their ends situated to the rear of the axle the pivots c of the corresponding trail legs. In this case, the trail legs may each terminate in a fork 'c -c the supporting member e for the resilient suspensionbeing in the form of a lateral projection on the said fork (Figure 4).

A plug pin 1" with corresponding bearings 1 formed on the arms. c of the. forks is provided for locking the trail legs on the rocking beam in the battery position. 1 I 7 As shown clearly in Figure 1, in the firing position when the trail legs c have been moved apart, the supporting members e will have been automatically moved away from the corresponding resilient buffers d carried'by the axle. The said members are brought automatically vertically above the buffers 01 whenthe trail legs are brought together for travelling; for example, for coupling to a gun limber. a

The resilient bufier which forms one of the members of the suspension, may, as shown in 'Figure 3, advantageously be constituted by a cyl- 25 inder 01, carried by a stud d (Figures 1 and 2) which is fitted in a corresponding seat provided in the axle a and whichis secured by means of a nut (1 In this cylinder 01, a spring 01 may be compressed more or less between two supports d d Fitted in the head d of a rod d may be a mushroom head d suitably shaped to form'an inclined plane for facilitating the sliding into engagement therewith of the supporting memher 6, a washer d of resilient or compressible material being interposed between the rod head 01 and the said mushroom head (2 Rod all is slidably mounted in cylinder d with the under side of rod head d in position to engage the upper end of and to be resisted by the upward thrust of spring d when the rod is depressed by its associated supporting member 6. Preferably, the resilient suspension just described is combined with an additional permanent resilient suspension, 'constitutedbya resilient bush, interposed between the axle a and the pivot b of the'trail-ca'rrying rocking beam. example shown, this additional suspension comprises a ring g of rubber or other like material I which is provided with flat lateral portions g" for preventing its rotation, and which is set in a seat provided in the axle a. Arranged in a recess in the said resilient ringis a metallic ring 9 the thickness of which is preferably greater in the upper part, in. order to prevent its rotation in the rubber ring. As shown in Figure 2, this metallic ring 9 forms a bearing for the pivot b of the rocking beam. 1). a

If this additional suspension, which enables some of they shocks to which the wheels are subjected during travelling to be absorbed, is used, it is necessary to provide a mutual guide between the unit, formed by the trail-carrying rocking beam and trail legs, and the axle, in order to prevent any relative transverse displacement between the trail-carrying rocking beam and theset of wheels. In the example shown, this guide is provided by a profiled projection c which is formed on each of the trail legs and which in the travelling position, bears against the wall of the corresponding buffer cylinder 01 (Figures 1'and 3) In'the drawings inthe example just described, there is shown, particularly in Figure 5, a known type of'top carriage h in which is trunnioned the oscillating mass (cradle z and gun 7), the said In the top carriage pivoting in a known manner about" a vertical pivot is in the trail-carrying'rocking beam b to permit training of the gun.

In theembodiment of the invention which has just been described it is necessary to extend the trail legs forwardly of the axle, and to offset this extension of the trail legs angularly at a point where, inthe caseuof certain types of gun car riages,fobstruction may be caused by the presence of other members, such as the wheel brake (a typical .wheel brake being shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 merely by Way of example). If it is desired to avoid this offset construction in such gun carriages, the modificationshown Figures-6 to 9 may be employed.

In this second embodiment of the invention, the rocking beam 2), as shown in the drawings, is mounted in a recess in the axle a. It is stirrup-' shaped, as in the preceding example, and the trail legs c are pivoted tothe said rocking beam by their forked ends, the forks of which engage above and below the arms of the rocking beam. In this.

construction, however; the trail legs-are not extended forwardly of the axleyand the buffers d are mounted directly'in the axle body, thus obviating for the greater part any projection to the front of the axle.

Figure 10 shows still another modificationof the invention, in which the stirrup-shaped rocking beam is disposed whollyrearwardly of the axle a, the buffers dbeing mounted in projections provided on, and forwardlyjoffthe axle a.

In-the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, the rocking beam 1) is disposed forwardly of the. axle asin the example of Figures 1 w4. In this con- 'structicn,.the rocking beam is not stirrup-shaped but, instead, the forked heads of the trail legs 0 are inclined inwardly towards the trail body, pass through the axle and carry rearwardly of the said axle the supporting members e fo-r the resilient suspension, the complementary supporting meme here being constituted, as .in the previous examples, by resilient buffers (1 carried by the axle, these members 01 ande being disposed between the longitudinal axial plane of the gun carriage and the trail legs, instead of being disposed between the trail legs and the wheels, as in the previous examples.

Figures. 13 and 14 show anotherrembodiment in which the supporting member e is carried by the axle (1, whereas the resilient buffer at is carried by the trail head. A simple consideration of the figures will clearly show that, as in the previous examples, by bringing the 'trail legs together, the resilient, suspension is rendered operative by the buffer 01 coming vertically above the supporting members 6 (Figure 13), whereas, by moving the trail legs apart for bringing the gun-carriage into the battery position, the buffers ing'an axle, a rocking beam mounted for pivotal movement relative to said axle about a longitudinalaxis perpendicular to the axle and to said beam and a pair of trail legs secured tosaid rockwith respectto said axle.

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gagement with one another but. when i said trait V legs are moveditogether intravelling position said members are automatically brought intoengage ment and provide a resilient-suspension for the rocking beam' andrtraililegs with respect to said" axle;

2. In acarriageof thesplit-trail type in-l eluding an axla'a rocking beam mounted for pivotal movement relativeto said axle about a' longitudinal axis perpendicularfto the; axle and to said beam and a pair of trail legs" secured-1 tosaid rocking beam for movement about" substantially'veiftical axes; 'a resilient suspension for 'w said rocking beamandtrail-le'gs comprising a pair of resilient buffer members carriedbysaid axle adjacent the ends thereof, and a; pair of complementary-buffer "engaging members carried one by each of said? trail legs, said members' I being so constructed and arranged that when the trail legs are sp read battery position said members are out of; engagement with one another but when said trail" legs aremoved together in travel ling position said members are automatically if brought into engagement and provide arsilient suspensionfor the rocking bea'm and "trailllegs" 3.'In a gun carriage of the split-trail type including anaxle, a rocking beam mounted'fo'r pivotal m'ov ementrelative to said'axleabout a longitudinal axis perpendicular to theaxle and-to said beam and a pair oftraillegs secured to said rocking beam for movement about substantiallyvertical axes, a resilient suspension for said ro'cking V beam and trail legs comprising a pairof resilient bufier members carriedone by each offsaid trail 7 legs, and a ien of; complementary buifer engaging" members c'arried by said axle on opposite sides of a vertical plan e througn' said longitudinal axis, said members being so; constructed and arranged that when the-trail'legs are spread in battery posi-' tion said members are out of engagement with one another butwhen "said trail legs are movedtogether'in travelling position said members are automaticallybrought into engagement and pro-i vide a resilient suspension for the racking beam and trail leg's' with respect to said axle.

4. A resilient suspension according to claim l wherein each of theresi-li'ent buffer members comprises a cylinder, a compression spring within.

said cylinder, supports carried by said cylinder for eaLll end-of said spring to limit the extension thereof, and a rod slidably mounted'within said'i cylinder and having an enlarged head adapted to engage one end of said spring, said head'having anouter surface'which isso. shaped as to. facilitate the engagement therewithof said bufferengagingmember when the trail legslaremoved to travelling position. i

5. A resilient'suspension according to claim 1 whereineach of the resilient bufier members comprises a cylinder, 9; compression spring within said cylinder, supports carried by said cylinder for each end of saidspring to limit the extension thereof, and a rod slidably mounted'withinsaid member when the traillegsa-re moved cylinder. and: having; an! enlarged. head adapted. to:

engage oneend of. said spring, said head; having, a. mushroom-shaped outer surface the profile of;

. which: formsan inclined; planefor facilitating the.

engagement therewith. of said buffer i engaging;

ling. position;

6.- A resilient suspension according to claim 2,

to travelwherein each of the resilient. butler members comprisesga; cylinder, a stud carried by said cylinder andadapted-to beremovably secured to said axle,

a. compressionlspring within said cylinder, sup.- portscarr-ied by saidcylinder for. each end of said springlto limitthe extension thereof, and a rod slidably. mounted within said cylinder-and having an enlarged. head adapted to engage one end of, said spring, said head'having an outer surface which is .so shaped as to, facilitate the engagement therewith of said bufier. engaging membenwhen the'trail legsare movedto travelling position.

7.; A. gunacarriage of the split-trail type cox prising an. axle, a rocking. beam mounted for pivotal movement relatively tosaid axle about a longitudinal: axis perpendicular to the axle and to said; beam, an. oscillating gunand cradle carriedby said beam. and mounted for pivotal movement relatively thereto. about a substantially vertical axis, av'pair of trail legs, secured, to said rocking, beam for movement about substantially vertical axes, a "pair of; resilient buffer members, and apair of complementary bufier engaging: members, one

"Off said pairs of, members being. carried by said axlev on opposite sides of a: vertical plane through said longitudinal axis and the other pairbeing. carried one byeach ofsaid trailllegs, said membersxbeingsoconstructed and arranged that when the .trail legs are spread in battery position said, membersareout of engagement with one another but when said trail, legs are moved together intravelling. position said members are automati callyz'broughtinto engagementand providea resilient suspension for the rocking beam, oscillating gun and cradle and trail; legs with respect to said, axle; v

8'. A. gun carriage of; the; split-trail. type com prising an. axle, a rocking beam mounted for pivotal: movementrelatively tosaid axle about a longitudinal axis. perpendicular to the axle and to said beam, an oscillating gun andcradle carried byIsaid beam and mountedfor pivotal movement relatively -,therei:o. abou a Substantially vertical axis, a pair. of trail legs pivotally connected to the 7 ends of said. beam for movement about substantially vertical axes, each of said trail legs having a portion extending forward oi its pivot point, a pair of resilient buffer. members carried by said axle adjacent the endsithereof, and a pair of compl'ementarybuffer engaging. members carried one by each of said'forwardly extending portions of said trail: legs, said members being so constructed and arranged thatv when the trail legs. are spread in battery position said members are out of engagement with one another but when said trail legs are moved together in travelling position said members are automatically brought into engagemerit and provide a'resilient suspension for the. rocking beam, oscillatingv gun and cradle and'trail': legs withv respect to said axle.

A'gu'n carriage of the split-trail type corn prisingan axle, a rocking beam mounted forwardly of said' axle for pivotal movement rela-- and mounted for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a substantially vertical axis, a pair of trail legs pivotally connected-to the ends of said beamfor movement about substantially vertical axes, a pair of resilient bufifer members carried by said axle adjacent the ends thereof 'and a pair of complementary buffer engaging members carried one by each of said trail legs, said mem-- bers being so constructed and-arranged that when the trail legs are spread in battery position said.

members are out of engagement with one another but when said trail legs are movedtogether in travelling position said members are auto-matically brought into engagement and provide a resilient suspension for the rocking beam, oscillate-L ing gun and cradle and trail legs with'respect'to said axle, I a p 10. A gun carriage of the split-trail type com-' prising an axle, a' rocking beam mounted forwardly of said axle for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a longitudinal axis perpen-f dicular to the axle and to said beam, the ends of said beam being stirrup-shaped and extending rearwardly of and around said axle, an oscillating gun and cradle carried by said beam and mounted for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a substantiallyvertical axis, a pair of trail legs pivotally connected to the stirrup-shaped.

ends of said beam for movement about substantially vertical axes, each of said trail legs having a portion extending forwardly of its pivot point; a pair of resilient buffer members carried by said axle adjacent the ends thereof, and a pair of complementary buffer engaging members carried one by each of said forwardly extending portions of said trail legs, said members being so constructed and arranged that when the trail legs are spread in battery position said members are out of engagement with one another but'when said trail legs are moved together in travelling" position said members are automatically brought into engagement and provide a resilient suspen sion for the rocking beam, oscillating gun and cradle and trail legs with respect to said axle.

11. A gun carriage of the split-trail type comprising an axle, a rocking beam mounted forwardly of said axle for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axle and to said beam, the ends of saidbeam being stirrup-shaped and extending rearwardly of and around said axle, the walls of the openings in said stirrup-shaped ends through which the axle passes constituting means for limiting the extent of relative transverse'oscillation between said beam and axle about said longitudinal axis, an oscillating gun and cradle carried by said beam and mounted for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a substantially vertical axis, a pair of trail legs pivotally connected to the stirrup-shaped ends of said beam for movement about substantially vertical axes, a pair' of resilient buffer members carried by said'axle adjacent the ends thereof, and a pair of complementary buffer engaging members carried one by each of said trail legs, said members being so constructed and arranged that when the trail legs are spread in battery position said members are out of engagement with one another but when said trail legs are moved together in travel ling position said members are automatically brought into engagement and provide a resilient suspension for the rocking beam, oscillating'gun andv cradle" and; trail legs withrespect to said axle. i l

V 12. A gun carriage of the split-trail type comprising an axle, a rocking beam mounted forwardly of said axle for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axle and to said beam, the ends of said beam extendingrearwardly through open- "ings in-said axle, an oscillating gun'and cradle buffer, members carried by said axle adjacent the ends thereof, and a pair of complementary buffer engaging members carried one by each of said trail legs, said members being so constructed and arranged that when the trail legs are spread in battery position'said membersare out of engagement withjone another, but when said trail legs are moved together in travelling position said -members are automatically brought into engagelment and provide a resilient suspension for the rocking beam, oscillating gun and cradle and traillegs with respect to said axle. Y

13. A gun carriage according to claim 7 wherein the pivotal connection between said rocking beamand axle comprises a pivot pin carried by said beam, a bearing seat for said pin formed in said axle,,a metallic bearing ring engaging said pivot pin, and a resilient bush of compressible material interposed between said bearing seat and said ring.

14. A gun carriage according to claim '7 wherein the pivotal connection between said rocking beam and axle comprises a pivot pinlcarried by said beam, a bearing seat for said pin formed in said axle, a metallic bearing ring engaging said pivot pin, and a resilient bush of compressible material interposed between said bearing seat and said ring, said bearing seat and resilient bush having correspondinglyflattened portions to prevent rotation of'said bushrelative to said seat, and said bearing ring being thicker at one portion of its periphery than elsewhere to prevent rotation thereof within the resilient bush.

15. A gun carriage according to claim '7 where- 'in the pivotal connection between said rocking beam and axle comprises a pivot pin carried by saidbeam, a bearing seat for said pin formed in said axle, a metallic bearing ring engaging said pivot pin and a resilient bush of compressible material interposed between said bearing'seat and said ring, and whichincludes means for preventing relative movement between said beam and axle transversely to the axis of said pivot pin.

' 16. A gun carriage according to claim 'Iwherein the pivotal connection between said rocking beam and axle comprises a pivot pin carried by said beam, a bearing seat for said pin formed in said axle, a metallic bearing ring engaging said pivot pin and a resilient bush of compressible material interposed between said bearing seat and said ring, and'which includes cooperating surfaces carried by said axle and said trail legs which are automatically brought into engagement with one another when said trail legs are moved to travelling position for preventing relative movement between said rocking beam and axle transversely to the axis of said pivot pin.

' NICOLAS EMILIEN METI-ILIN. 

